Shatrughan demands Patna Saheb seat, BJP yet to decide

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday indicated that it might give in to film star-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha’s wish to contest from the Patna Saheb constituency in Bihar in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.Sinha, a party member from the Rajya sabha, dramatically stated at a public rally in Patna Saheb Saturday that he would contest only from this constituency even before any official announcement from the BJP. He claimed the BJP leadership had asked him to pick any seat he wished.

“His name is very much in consideration from this constituency. Sinha is a senior and capable leader of our party. We will soon discuss and decide,” BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS. Naqvi did not say by when will the party decide on Sinha’s seat.

“It is Patna, Patna and Patna,” Sinha said at a large gathering of partymen and villagers at Sampatchak village, 15 km from Bihar’s capital Patna.

“I have the blessings of senior leader Lal Krishna Advani and party president Rajnath Singh who have allowed me to pick a constituency of my choice,” he said. “It is my native constituency where I was born and brought up.”

Sinha, also known as Shotgun among his fans, stated this a day after former union minister Ravi Shanker Prasad said he would not mind contesting from Patna Saheb.

Sinha told the rally he merely expressed his desire to contest the polls from the newly-carved Patna Saheb constituency. “It is now up to the party high command to make a formal announcement.”

However, Sinha has already launched his election campaign from this constituency with a road show, well before any official announcement by the party.